Derek Prince - False Churches Will Appeal To Your Emotions
This is an excerpt from: True And False Church - Part 2
Let's look at some of the pictures here. Again, we're in Revelation 17 and we'll read verse 2: which is a continuation of the previous verse. with whom [that's the false church] the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication. There the meaning of fornication if primarily spiritual. It's false religion, it's idolatry. But notice the first people listed as going in for idolatry are the kings of the earth, the rulers, the wealthy.
And then in chapter 18 and verse 3: For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Her false teaching which brings the wrath of God and leads people into spiritual fornication. The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.
So, again the emphasis is on the kings and the wealthy. And in a certain sense, relating to her is a means to achieving wealth. It's interesting in the book of Revelation how much emphasis is on merchants. It seems that the main wealth is in the hands of the merchants. And as someone that has been away from the continent of Europe a good many years and come back, I'm impressed how business has become the number one issue, and everything else is secondary to business. What political motivation could not do, business motivation seems to be doing. In other words, uniting the nations of Europe. If you read through Revelation you'll see again and again the picture of the merchants who are supporters of this organization because it's a source of wealth to them.
Now, wealth is not wicked. Wealth comes ultimately from God. But the pursuit of wealth by religious means, in my observation, usually lands you in trouble. I think there's a very celebrated publicized case of a radio evangelist that's just been in our papers that is a very vivid example of the danger of using the gospel, or the so-called gospel, as a means of gaining wealth personally. I have to say the so-called gospel because I'm not going to name any organization but I think all of you know the one I'm speaking about. Ruth and I were invited to appear on that program about two or three years ago just before Christmas. Longer then that.
Anyhow, four years ago, let's say. We were theoretically the main participants for two hours. The first session, one hour, they took more than twenty minutes to raise money by selling dolls. And I had just about eleven minutes. The second session I had a little bit more. Theoretically this was a celebration of Christmas. There was no reason to suspect any of the things that subsequently came to light but I said to Ruth we will never come back here. Because, these people are misleading millions of people as to the real nature of Christianity. They're giving them a totally false picture of what it is to be a Christian. I don't pick on that particular individual; I pray God will have mercy on him. Maybe he has to take a hard road to the mercy of God. But I use it as a lesson for myself. We'll look a little further in this picture, we go back to Revelation 17 again and we look at the picture of a church living in ostentatious luxury and splendor.
This is a very vivid picture, it's emphasized. Revelation 17, verse 4: The woman [that's the false church] was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand the golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And again, the golden cup is the teaching with which she seduces multitudes from the truth. But you notice that she was adorned with gold, silver, precious stones and pearls. Very ostentatious and showy wealth. And then in the same chapter verses 11 trough 13. I'm sorry. Chapter 8. Chapter 18, sorry, excuse me, verse 3, and then verses 11 trough 13. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.
Notice again the merchants make their money by plying their trade in connection with this organization. See, I would have to observe... It seems to me in western Europe, the United States, and the lands like that, if a thing makes money it requires no other justification. That's all that's needed. If a thing makes money, no matter whether it's moral or immoral, whether it's harmful or beneficial, if it makes money that's its justification. And I think in a way what the Bible is showing us is that the source of this is spiritual. It comes from the corruption of the church.
Anyhow, going on in Revelation 18, verses 11 trough 13: And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her [this is at her destruction], for no one buys their merchandise any more [once this organization has been destroyed]: merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron and marble, and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots and bodies and souls of men.
There again it's a picture of a church that entices with tremendous lavish display, with tremendous ornamentation, with very magnificent buildings and architecture. See, as I read this something in me says, it all appeals to the soul but not to the spirit. Its whole drawing power is directed to the human soul but it doesn't touch the human spirit.